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Keyboarding Methodology. Introduction. Developing keyboarding skills is an integral part of an effective computer literacy program. The keyboard is an important tool for communicating and entering data into all kinds of technological systems that are microprocessor-controlled.
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Introduction • Developing keyboarding skills is an integral part of an effective computer literacy program. • The keyboard is an important tool for communicating and entering data into all kinds of technological systems that are microprocessor-controlled. • Keyboarding is becoming a necessary personal, academic, and professional skill. Projections indicate that most of today’s students will use keyboarding when they enter the work world—no matter what the field.
The information in this publication is primarily directed to individuals who teach keyboarding at the middle school level; however, it will also be helpful for those who are involved with keyboarding at other levels. It is recognized that from the perspective of teachers at the middle school, there is already a great deal of pressure to work within a crowded curriculum. • Emphasis is given to coordinating keyboarding instruction with language arts activities in the area of writing. If keyboarding equipment is available for students at that level, there is an opportunity to enhance and improve writing activities.
Policy Statement 35 • The Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education addressed the need for keyboarding in their Policy Statement 35. The position was stated in this way: “We believe that keyboarding should be required of all students. With the rapid expansion of computer usage, primarily microcomputers, educational institutions should require that all students develop keyboarding skills. Keyboarding skills allow students to interface more efficiently with microcomputers in educational, personal, and future employment settings.”
Definition • Keyboarding refers to the input of data using the touch method on a standard alphanumeric keyboard such as the QWERTY keyboard. • The goal of keyboarding instruction is to develop a touch skill that will enable an individual to enter alphanumeric information at a speed that is faster than handwriting.
Touch Technique • The touch technique is the striking of the correct keys without looking at the fingers. • Automaticity is the desired level • Keyboarding is a psychomotor skill. Thus, when a student practices the skill on a regular basis, instruction should emphasize the touch method and correct techniques of performance.
Keyboarding in the Middle School • Students who are 9 to 12 years of age may be at an appropriate time of their development to learn keyboarding. This is the time when muscular coordination is developed for both the larger and smaller muscles. It is also a time when students are healthier and in school on a more regular basis—they have passed the time of major communicable childhood diseases. • Students entering the middle school are also at an age when they have developed learning styles that enable them to deal with learning new ideas and to organize new information. • It is a time when they have become aware of the role of work in life and how individuals prepare for that role. They are at an age when they can explore careers and the work modes of different types of occupations. Keyboarding can be tied to most careers—this is a motivator for the teacher.
Grades 6–8 Implementation Model for 18 Weeks • As the opportunity for semester courses is available at the junior high/middle school level, school divisions should consider the option of offering the 18-week course, to allow the greatest percentage of students to obtain a sustained skill. • The course should be made available to all students for the purpose of developing the skill of keyboarding in a more comprehensive fashion taught by an endorsed Business Technology education teacher.
It should be taught in a fashion that supports language arts writing process goals as well as writing across the curriculum activities, i.e., keyboarding skill building and follow-up applications to include reports, term papers, class assignments, and other activities that promote the use of the computer as a communication tool. • It should be taught on microcomputers to allow the integration of word processing and/or computer literacy activities offered for the duration of a regular class session and scheduled five times per week.
When planning a program for keyboarding, it is most important to determine when it is appropriate to initiate the instruction and to plan the scope and sequence of the instruction. • Keyboarding instruction should be implemented when the following elements are available: • instructional staff trained in the methodology of teaching a touch keyboarding system, • hardware and age-appropriate software, • and an instructional follow-up plan that includes language arts and other instructional activities for practice, application, and reinforcement.
Teaching Personnel • The keyboarding course should be taught by fully certified and endorsed Business Technology teachers or teachers who have the keyboarding add-on endorsement. • These teachers have been trained in the methods of teaching the skill. They will apply the principles of skill development and provide appropriate instruction on proper techniques to assure maximum achievement by the student.
Business Technology teachers should be familiar with students of middle school age so that the program is aligned with their unique characteristics. A variety of activities and the opportunity for physical movement by students will contribute to progress in achieving the goals of the program. The section The Writing Process provides information on the characteristics of early adolescents. See pages 34–35.
Keyboarding Instructors Must • provide instruction that allows students to develop touch keyboard fingering techniques required for rapid, accurate entry of data, and for future improvement in skill • strive for student achievement of minimum levels of skill required to encourage future use and maintain skill over time • possess operational skill of the fingering and keyboard manipulation techniques to • model for instructional leadership • analyze learner behavior for remediation • design appropriate practice • sequence learning experiences • select learning materials • evaluate programs
know the principles of psychological learning—stimulus-response and cognitive theories that are the basis of all keyboarding lesson designs • possess the ability to guide students in the procedures for • developing effective stroking and manipulation techniques through modeling, demonstrating rhythms, fingering patterns, and hand-arm alignments • response reinforcement—providing maximum amount of immediate performance feedback • practice sequencing
developing maximum response speed in keyboard stroking and manipulation through • pacing techniques for forcing rate of response and for developing response chaining • massing and distributing practice for maximum gain effect • establishing individual, intermediate response rate goals • selecting appropriate copy
developing response accuracy in keyboard stroking and manipulation through • response (stroke) differentiation • speed response to copy difficulty • focusing concentration on a specific technique • entering numeric data from top row and keypad • developing document (simple to sophisticated) formatting skills
integrate and sequence technique, speed, and accuracy goals • schedule keyboard technique, speed, and accuracy reinforcement activities after • achieving intensive initial stroking goals • integrate keyboarding with other academic activities to reinforce keyboarding skills • measure and evaluate keyboarding skills.
Basic Principles of Keyboarding Instruction • The psychological principles of learning and skill building are important in teaching keyboarding. Because keyboarding is a psychomotor skill, proper instruction from the very beginning assures that students develop correct skills. Instructional materials provide an accepted sequence and method of keyboarding instruction and practice and are appropriate for the maturity level of the student.
1. Materials used for keyboarding presentation and practice should be normal prose in word and sentence format. • Students will progress more rapidly if they use words and sentences in their beginning practice materials. The skill used at the beginning should be based on what students will be expected to do after acquiring the skill. Evaluation of student progress is recommended.
2. The keyboard is presented in an order that allows for early keying of words and sentences. • Keys can be introduced so that students will use words on the first day of instruction. While nonsense material may be used to learn reaches and to learn the feel of typing a new key, the use of each key in words and sentences is important at the beginning.
3. Introducing the home row first, followed by the “skip around” method to introduce other keys, is the best way to teach keyboarding. • Effective instructional materials will introduce keys using different fingers in each lesson. The text will not introduce at one time all of the keys typed by one finger.
4. At least 20 lessons should be used to present the keyboard. • Keyboard introduction includes all of the letters, numbers, and symbols. Students at the middle school level have short attention spans. Lessons will typically last from 30 to 35 minutes. Students should not be introduced to so much material that they cannot remember the keys. This will inhibit the learning of the touch method.
5. Students should not be kept from looking at their hands when initially learning a new key. • Students must be able to see, reach for, and touch the key when learning it. While looking at the key may be all right while learning to strike the key, it should be discouraged after the initial stage. Students should visually locate the key being introduced. The teacher should be sure that each student is using the correct finger.
The next step is for the teacher to demonstrate the key stroking. The introduction will include the teacher dictating the keystroke as students watch their hands. This will be followed by dictating the home row key and then the key which is to be learned (assuming at this point that home row has been taught). With this assurance, the teacher will have the students strike the home row key, the new key, and the home row key with a space following to be sure they learn the feel of the reach. The students will check their screen or copy to be sure that they are striking the correct keys. • Materials from the student text related to this new key can be used by the teacher for individual and dedicated practice.
6. Vocalization increases the intensity of the stimulus, leads to better stroking and quicker responses, focuses the students’ attention on keying, and contributes to more effective learning. • When the keys are first introduced, it is recommended that the teacher call (dictate) the keys in the practice material in a crisp and paced manner so that students will learn to strike the key with a staccato touch. The teacher can set the pace in the initial learning stage by dictating the initial practice material letter by letter. This will also force quick stroking and a development of a pattern for stroking similar to the skilled individual.
It should be noted that kinesthetic feedback develops slowly; therefore, outside reinforcement by the teacher is necessary during the early stages of motor skill development. The student should develop the feel of the reaches. Early errors and awkward key stroking techniques should be ignored. Everyone makes mistakes when first learning a new skill. However, this should not be confused with such incorrect techniques as “flying” elbows or poor positioning of hands.
7. Research has shown that a speed approach to keyboarding is superior to an accuracy approach. • Let the student learn the correct movement first and get the feel of keying data. Do not be overly concerned about errors as long as the student is in control. Slow the student down if the error rate is very high. • After the student has learned correct keying techniques, then accuracy can be emphasized. If accuracy is emphasized at the start, students will use a “stop-and-look” approach rather than a fluent approach that promotes an automatic response to the keyboard.
8. Speed and accuracy should be developed separately. • Students cannot develop speed and accuracy at the same time. Force the students to develop speed. The student must get the feel of keying at a faster speed, and the fingers should have a snappy movement. After this type of practice, the teacher should have students reduce the keying speed to a comfortable level (control rate) at which errors are reduced. • Do not try to develop speed and accuracy in the same lesson. • However, when conducting speed development exercises, the teacher may sometimes deliberately slow students to achieve control.
9. Pacing or speed forcing is desirable for developing speed, improving keying motions, and decreasing students’ dependence on sight. • Speed is developed through short bursts of speed—usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Pacing can be used with marked materials that give the number of words at intervals, e.g., every four words. This will allow the student to set a goal for each 15 seconds. The teacher, using a stop watch, can call the 15-second intervals, at which time the student will know whether to key faster or slower to achieve the desired goal.
10. Accuracy consists of keying at the correct speed. • Once students have been forced to a new level of speed, the teacher should help them work for control and accuracy. If the student continues to make errors, the teacher should set a speed. Then, using marked copy, the student should determine where in the copy to be at each 15-second call from the teacher. If the student is ahead of the word mark, then keying should be slowed. • The procedure for gaining control will be similar to that of speed building, except the goal will be to key at a slower rate with greater control. Remember, that even experts make about two errors per minute.
11. All keying tasks should be based on goals that are appropriate for each student. • Students will progress at different speeds. After being introduced to the entire keyboard, it will be necessary for students to be helped in setting their personal goals. • It is not appropriate for students to try to key at speeds beyond their ability. • A minimum goal for keyboarding skill is automaticity with approximately 20 wpm from provided copy.
12. Modeling is an effective strategy for presenting proper keying techniques and key reaches. • Students must see how a skill is to be executed. The teacher should use a keyboard that is located in a place so that students may see the correct response. • Modeling is an effective technique. Individuals who coach others use this technique all the time––demonstrating what is correct and how to do something.
13. Students should always know the goals of the lesson or practice. • The teacher will explain the procedure for each new item being introduced and taught. In addition, the student is told what should be accomplished as a result of the activity.
14. In order for practice to help the student, it must be a directed activity with a specific goal. • Students must be given directed practice if it is to be helpful. This is a basic principle used in any kind of coaching activity. Unless this is done, there will be little or no progress.
15. Observe students closely in the beginning stages for use of proper technique and to be sure they are learning the keyboard. • If a student has not learned the location of keys in the beginning lessons, it is important that the teacher not continue to introduce new keys and techniques. • Remedial work with computer software may allow the student to review the beginning keys and those not learned before proceeding. The student will be more successful in learning to key if this is done.
16. Unlike music, typing does not have equal time between strokes. • Therefore, do not have students type to music or any other rhythmic beat.
Top 10 Goals of Keyboarding Instruction • Technique • Technique • Technique • Technique • Technique • Technique • Technique • Technique • Speed • Accuracy • Keyboarding is a motor skill. It is a matter of training fingers to respond correctly and quickly to press the correct key -- kind of like in athletics where you keep doing it over and over again until it becomes habit.
Your first focus is on TechniqueInstructional Guide, pg 24-25 • http://www.educ.uidaho.edu/bustech/Keyboarding/Introductory/Keyboarding%20Pages/Techniques/TechniqueChecklist.htm • http://www.edu.pe.ca/gray/class_pages/spcain/itc401/keyboarding_technique_checklist.htm
Workspace Healthhttp://www.edu.pe.ca/gray/class_pages/spcain/itc401/workstation_ergonomics.htm
Letter Introduction • The steps in teaching a new key are enumerated below. Because keyboarding is a psychomotor skill, the more senses involved in the learning process, the more effective the learning. • 1. Students locate the key on their keyboard by looking. • 2. Teacher asks them to hold up and point to or call out the name of the finger to be used. • 3. Teacher demonstrates the key stroking technique to be used.
4. Teacher dictates the new letter and directs students to strike the key only as it is called. • 5. Teacher dictates the letter, and the students strike the key as they watch their finger make the reach and return to home row keys. • 6. Teacher dictates the letter again, and students strike the key as they watch their finger make the reach and return to home row keys. • 7. Teacher directs students to look toward the front of the room and dictates the letter again. Students strike the key without looking either at their finger or the machine. • 8. Teacher has the student check the copy to confirm the accuracy of the response made without looking. • 9. Teacher dictates a tryout line as students follow the copy in the textbook and type each letter, combination, or word on cue. Follow the above steps each time a new key is taught.
Source • Keyboarding_Gd.pdf • Pages 18-22
When to Emphasize Accuracy • So far, all our emphasis has been on proper technique and speed building. This is because students with proper technique and reasonable speed usually develop accuracy with little effort. The major exceptions are students with reading disorders. • An early emphasis on accuracy is a negative approach to keyboarding instruction and will delay student learning. • It is important to know how to determine the rate of speed the students are typing to help them improve their keyboarding skills.
